Application
The unit involves conducting feller buncher operations in a forest environment The skills and knowledge required for competent workplace performance are to be used within the scope of the person's job and authority |
Prerequisites
Not Applicable
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Plan and prepare for operations | 1.1. Applicable Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), environmental, legislative and organisational requirements relevant to conducting feller buncher operations are identified and followed 1.2. Site environmental protection measures are adhered to in line with relevant legislation and regulations 1.3. Work order is reviewed and checked with appropriate personnel 1.4. Equipment is selected appropriate to work requirements and checked for operational effectiveness in line with manufacturer's recommendations 1.5. Tree or log extraction, placement and access requirements are identified and assessed for safe working conditions 1.6. Level and/or suitable surface for stability of equipment to be used is determined and confirmed 1.7. Feller buncher operations are planned in line with site procedures and environmental and heritage concerns 1.8. Communication with others is established and maintained in line with OHS requirements |
2. Operate equipment | 2.1. All work is conducted in line with work order, environmental and OHS requirements 2.2. Feller buncher is operated within equipment capabilities and limitations and manoeuvred to ensure safe and efficient operations 2.3. Pre-operational checks are carried out on equipment and attachments in line with manufacturer's recommendations and site procedures 2.4. Site hazards associated with feller buncher operations are detected and safe operating techniques are used to minimise risk 2.5. Operating techniques are selected and adjusted as required to meet work requirements and site conditions 2.6. Feller buncher performance is systematically monitored to ensure and maintain efficient operations 2.7. Emergency plan procedures are follow in line with OHS, environmental, legal and site requirements |
3. Fall individual trees mechanically | 3.1. Movement and whereabouts of other personnel is monitored and work modified to be in line with OHS requirements 3.2. Falling sequence for individual trees is progressively planned to minimise tree damage and maximise falling and extraction efficiency 3.3. Cutting sequence is planned and communicated to control direction of the fall and minimise damage to the tree and surrounding environment 3.4. Equipment is positioned for stable and safe access to tree and operated to clamp and cut tree in line with industry and site standards 3.5. Clamping and cutting techniques are adjusted as required in response to movement and condition of tree 3.6. Trees too dangerous to be felled safely are marked and referred to appropriate personnel 3.7. Unexpected characteristics of a tree are diagnosed and planning is reviewed 3.8. Controlled manipulation with equipment is used to free tree hang ups to ensure personnel safety and minimise damage to tree and surrounding environment 3.9. Equipment is operated to stack pre-bunched logs and stems to facilitate subsequent extraction operations 3.10. Personnel safety and minimal damage to the timber and surrounding environment are ensured through method used to move timber and stems to pre-bunching site 3.11. Equipment is moved over pre-arranged routes with minimal damage to the environment |
4. Carry out machine operator maintenance | 4.1. Equipment lock-out procedures are followed in line with OHS requirements and site procedures 4.2. Visual inspection and fault finding procedures are conducted in line with manufacturer's recommendations and site procedures 4.3. Routine operational servicing is conducted to maintain optimum operational performance of equipment 4.4. Equipment, attachments and other ancillary equipment are cleaned and stored in line with manufacturer's recommendations and site procedures 4.5. Faults, malfunctions or problems with equipment are diagnosed and reported in line with site procedures 4.6. Feller buncher operation results are recorded and reported in line with site procedures |
Required Skills
This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit |
Required skills |
Technical skills sufficient to use and maintain relevant tools, machinery and equipment and efficiently and safely operate a feller buncher Communication skills and interpersonal techniques sufficient to interact appropriately with colleagues and others in the workplace Literacy skills sufficient to accurately record and report workplace information, and maintain documentation and interpret, apply and convey information in written, diagrammatic and/or verbal form Numeracy skills sufficient to estimate, measure and calculate time required to complete a task Problem solving skills sufficient to identify problems and equipment faults and demonstrate appropriate response procedures |
Required knowledge |
Applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation, regulations, standards, codes of practice and established safe practices relevant to the full range of processes for conducting feller buncher operations Environmental protection requirements, including the safe disposal of waste material and the cleaning of plant, tools and equipment Organisational and site standards, requirements, policies and procedures for conducting feller buncher operations Equipment processes, technical capability and limitations Operational procedures and checks including start-up and shut-down procedures Established communication channels and protocols Problem identification and resolution strategies and common fault finding techniques Types of tools and equipment and procedures for their safe use and maintenance including equipment safety requirements Appropriate mathematical procedures for estimating and measuring, including calculating time to complete tasks Procedures for recording and reporting workplace information |
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Overview of assessment | A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence that they can safely and efficiently conduct feller buncher operations in line with organisational requirements |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to, and satisfy, all of the requirements of the elements of this unit and include demonstration of: following applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislative and regulatory requirements and codes of practice relevant to conducting feller buncher operations following organisational policies and procedures relevant to conducting feller buncher operations following applicable licensing or certification requirements communicating effectively and working safely with others in the work area planning, preparing and carrying out feller buncher operations to safely and efficiently fall trees mechanically and pre-bunch logs and stems conducting pre-operational checks and routine operational servicing of equipment |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Competency is to be assessed in the workplace or realistically simulated workplace Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints Assessment of required knowledge, other than confirmatory questions, will usually be conducted in an off-site context Assessment is to follow relevant regulatory or Australian Standards requirements The following resources should be made available: workplace location or simulated workplace materials and equipment relevant to undertaking work applicable to this unit specifications and work instructions |
Method of assessment | Assessment must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the FPI11 Training Package Assessment methods must confirm consistency and accuracy of performance (over time and in a range of workplace relevant contexts) together with application of required knowledge Assessment must be by direct observation of tasks, with questioning on required knowledge and it must also reinforce the integration of employability skills Assessment methods must confirm the ability to access and correctly interpret and apply the required knowledge Assessment may be applied under project-related conditions (real or simulated) and require evidence of process Assessment must confirm a reasonable inference that competency is able not only to be satisfied under the particular circumstance, but is able to be transferred to other circumstances Assessment may be in conjunction with assessment of other units of competency The assessment environment should not disadvantage the candidate Assessment practices should take into account any relevant language or cultural issues related to Aboriginality, gender or language backgrounds other than English Where the participant has a disability, reasonable adjustment may be applied during assessment Language and literacy demands of the assessment task should not be higher than those of the work role |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. | |
Feller buncher may be: | wheeled tracked |
OHS requirements: | are to be in line with applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation and regulations, and organisational safety policies and procedures, and may include: personal protective equipment and clothing safety equipment first aid equipment fire fighting equipment hazard and risk control fatigue management elimination of hazardous materials and substances safe forest practices including required actions relating to forest fire location of other people, and potential falling objects manual handling including shifting, lifting and carrying |
Environmental requirements may include: | legislation organisational policies and procedures workplace practices |
Legislative requirements: | are to be in line with applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation, regulations, certification requirements and codes of practice and may include: award and enterprise agreements industrial relations Australian Standards confidentiality and privacy OHS the environment equal opportunity anti-discrimination relevant industry codes of practice duty of care heritage and traditional land owner issues |
Organisational requirements may include: | legal organisational and site guidelines policies and procedures relating to own role and responsibility quality assurance procedural manuals quality and continuous improvement processes and standards OHS, emergency and evacuation procedures ethical standards recording and reporting requirements equipment use and maintenance and storage requirements environmental management requirements (waste disposal, recycling and re-use guidelines) |
Environmental protection measures | may include action to limit the impact to: ground growth and canopy soil and water may include action to limit the impact of: general forest lean wind speed and direction fallen trees density of trees ground slope ground hazards obstacles |
Work order is to include: | instructions for feller buncher operations including trees to be felled and retained, and logs to be bunched and may include: information about tree markings, site plans, forest operational plans emergency procedures in case of fire and/or accident instructions for the environmental monitoring of work and procedures environmental care requirements relevant to the work |
Appropriate personnel may include: | supervisors suppliers clients colleagues managers |
Logs may include: | range of species size conditions to be encountered in local harvesting operations softwood or hardwood |
Safe working conditions | may include identification of: risks and hazards unsafe ground fences holes, pot holes materials vehicles abandoned equipment personnel adverse weather conditions (electrical storms, floods) fires |
Feller buncher operations | must include: the mechanical felling of trees and pre-bunching of logs and stems and may include: segregating and stacking logs snigging and skidding logs loading and unloading logs shovel logging |
Planning | requires ensuring minimal equipment and log movement during operations including verifying level and stable surfaces for safely relocating logs on equipment |
Environmental and heritage concerns may include: | dust noise water flora and fauna heritage legislation culturally sensitive sites and artefacts plantations native forest |
Communication may include: | verbal and non-verbal language hand or other agreed signals eye contact with other operators or personnel active listening questioning to clarify and confirm understanding use of electronic communication devices |
Capabilities of equipment and/or attachments may include: | efficient and safe operating speed duration of operation type of activities performed weight and/or load limitations operating limitations |
Pre-operational checks | are conducted to ensure equipment and attachments have been set-up correctly, the systems are performing accurately and operating to optimum performance and may relate to: visual and audio warning devices and lights engine and stop engine lights fluid levels cab display instrumentation and gauges on-board computer systems start-up, park and shutdown procedures including safety mechanisms operation (horn, operating lights) correct location of equipment vehicle security |
Attachments may include: | hydraulic chainsaws hydraulic sheer knives |
Hazards may include: | uneven/unstable terrain trees fires overhead and underground services bridges buildings excavations traffic embankment cuttings structures and hazardous materials |
Site conditions may include: | wet/dry day/night stability of ground broken ground slope of working surface location of water table |
Emergency plan may include: | notification of authorities evacuation procedures isolation procedures equipment shutdown procedures clean up first aid use of personal protective equipment and clothing guarding access and exit |
Cutting sequence is to include: | the best direction or angle for making cuts to facilitate achieving the fall direction |
Visual inspection and fault finding procedures may include: | vehicle number danger tags personnel proximity tyres and rim condition wheel nuts and studs light positioning and cleanliness radiator top up tank oil leaks, fuel leaks water leaks no combustible material around exhaust damage to equipment portable fire extinguisher fire suppression system cab mounts windows engine oil to be checked before starting engine grease lines cab conditions |
Routine operational servicing may include: | checking fluid levels greasing tightening loose fittings filter changing |
Cleaning methods may include: | water steam degreasing vacuum forced air |
Records and reports may include: | end of shift documentation work log supplies log and computer readings and may be: manual using a computer-based system or another appropriate organisational communication system |
Sectors
Not Applicable
Competency Field
Harvesting and Haulage |
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills |
Licensing Information
Refer to Unit Descriptor